Nottingham elastic lace net and the method of making the same



Nov. 15, 1955 c. WHEATCROFT 2,723,586

NOTTINGHAM ELASTIC LACE NET AND THE METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed Dec. 23, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Mam.

ATTORNEY NOTTINGHAM ELASTIC LACE NET AND THE METHOD OF MAKING-THE S AME.

Arthur C. Wheatcroft, Stamford, Conn., assignor, by theme assignments, to North American Lace Company, Inc., Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application December 23, 1953, Serial No. 400,041 Claims. (Cl. 87-2) This invention relates to a two-way stretch elastic lace Woven upon a Nottingham lace curtain machine, and more particularly to a two-way stretch elastic lace of the class known as double action, woven upon a Nottingham lace curtain machine; also to the method of weaving an elastic lace net upon a Nottingham lace curtain machine.

Owing to the limited number of mechanical movements available in a Nottingham lace curtain machine, the culties which arise when rubber threads or the like are introduced in a Nottingham lace curtain machine, the

restrictions which the trade places upon an elastic textile fabric, and the purposes for which elastic fabrics are employed in the ultimate end product, many serious problems must be overcome in order to produce a commercially acceptable two-way stretch Nottingham lace fabric.

One object of this invention is a commercially acceptable two-way stretch Nottingham elastic lace fabric.

Another object is a method of weaving a two-way stretch Nottingham elastic lace fabric in a Nottingham lace curtain machine.

Other objects will appear from the detail tion of the invention, which follows.

In the drawing comprising two sheets, of three figures, numbered Figs. 1 to 3, both inclusive, a preferred emdodiment of the invention is shown. i i

Fig. l is a plan view of a piece of lace net, somewhat enlarged. f

Fig. 2 is a view of a fragment of the lace net of 'Fig. 1, blown up to show the weave, and onefull repeat thereof, and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of the particular combination of spool thread ties woven into the elasticlace net structure, and which also serve to ornament the lace fabric. 7

Like reference characters designate corresponding parts, throughout the several figures of the drawing.

The Nottingham elastic lace net is woven in the Nottingham lace curtain machine, using a warp beam consisting of a series of covered rubber threads 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14, etc., to form the warp threads of the elastic lace net. The warp threads 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, etc., are spaced equidistant apart across theframe of thej Nottingham lace curtain machine, the number of warp threads employed depending upon the width of the lace net to be loomed. The warp threads 10, 11, 12, 13, etc., are spaced equidistant apart, the spaces between the said warp threads defining open bars for a two-gait net. As the warp threads are made of covered rubber, they are inherently elastic, and are capable of being stretched without breaking to several times their relaxed width.

A series of inelastic bobbin threads 20, 21, 22, 23, and 24, etc., are provided for and associated with the warp threads, there being one inelastic bobbin thread associated with each warp thread. For example, bobbin thread 20 is associated with covered rubber warp thread10, bobbin thread 21 is similarly associated with coveredrubber warp ed descripthread 11, and so on all the way across the frame of the lace making machine. The inelastic bobbin threads may be made of cotton or the like.

A series of spool threads 30, 31, 32, 33, and 34, etc., are also provided, which are adapted during the weaving operation to be extended across the bars between the covered rubber warp threads 10, 11; 11, 12; 12, 13; and 13,

14; etc., in either direction, according to the direction of motion of the Nottinghamlace curtain machine, and fastened to the particular warp thread to which said spool thread is thus extended, to form a spool thread tie between the said warp threads. There is a spool thread normally associated with each covered rubber warp thread and its associated inelastic bobbin thread. For example, spool thread 30 may be considered to be normally associated with the covered rubber warp thread 10 and with the inelastic bobbin thread 20; spool thread 31 with the warp thread 11 and with the bobbin thread 21; etc.

During each distinctive motion of the Nottingham lace curtain machine, each warp thread and its associated bobbin thread are moved by the motion of the lace making machine in such a manner that the warp and bobbin thread are twisted together and form a pillar, and that if the associated spool thread is not then extended to another warp thread to make a tie, said spool thread will also be pillared with the warp and bobbin threads with which said spool thread is normally associated. If, however, a particular spool thread has been extended across its warp-constituted bar to an adjoining warp thread, then said spool thread will be tied by the bobbin thread associated with the warp thread to which said spool thread has been extended to complete a spool thread tie. For example, in Fig. 2, spool thread 31 is pillared to its associated covered rubber warp thread 11, by its associated inelastic bobbin thread 21 between the points 21a and 21b, 21F and 21h, and 21m and 210; but is tied to the rubber covered warp thread 12 by the inelastic bobbin thread 22, at the points 22c, 222, and 22p, to form the two-gait spool thread ties 31a, 31b, and 312, respectively. Similarly, spool thread 32 is pillared to its associated covered rubber warp thread 12 by its associated bobbin thread 22, between the points 22a and 22b; 22g and 22h; and 22m and 220; but is extended at other places across one bar to the warp thread 11 and is tied thereto by the bobbin thread 21, at the points 21d and 21]; and is extended at certain other places in the opposite direction across one bar to the warp thread 13, to which it is tied at the points 23i and 231, by the bobbin thread 23. a When a spool thread is extended across one bar only and fastened there to an adjacent warp thread to form a tie, the said tie thus formed is known as a two-gait spool thread tie, similarly when a spool thread is extended over one warp thread to the warp thread therebeyond and there tied, the tie so formed is known as a threegait tie; the number of gaits being determined by the number of warp threads bridged or gaited by the tie, including both of the anchoring warp threads.

In the Nottingham elastic lace net described herein, all of the spool thread ties are two-gait ties, because the spool threads are never extended beyond one of the adjacent warp threads, and this Nottingham elastic lace net is accordingly two-gait work, or a two-gait net.

In Figs. 1 and 2, it appears that the elastic lace net is woven by repeating a pattern which is two bars wide, and which requires twelve distinct motions of the lace making machine to complete the weaving cycle. These twelve motions are indicated at the left of Fig. 2, by the index numbers 1 to 6, both inclusive, indicating six full motions of the lace making machine. Each full motion consists of two half motions, which are indicated by the index numbers 1-A, 1B, 2-A, 2-B, etc., and since the elastic lace net includes a pattern containing two elements extending warpwise, one of which is the reverse of the other, the weaving cycle may be further subdivided into two half-cycles of the three full motions, or six halfmotions of the lace making machine. Thus full motions 1 to 3 inclusive, 'or half-motions 1-A and 1-'B, t 3A and 3-B, both inclusive, constitute the first half-cycle of the weaving cycle, and full motions 4 to '6 inclusive, or half-motions '4"A and 4 B, to 6 -'A and 643 both inclusive, constittite the second half of the weaving cycle.

Referring to Fig. 2, and more particularly the two bars thereof lying between the rubber covered, or elastic, warp threads 11 and 13, which bars contain a full repeat ofthe all-over pattern'of the Nottingham lace elastic net, the methodof weaving the s'aidelastic netmay'be describcd'asfollows: At the commencement'of the weaving cycle the lace making machine has reached position 1'A, and the groups of warp, bobbin, and spool, threads, 11, 21', 31; 12, 22, 32; and 13, 23, 33, are pillared together throngh'motion 1A,at the points 21b, 22b, and 23b. Dining motion l-B the spool threads 31 and 33 are extended to the right to the Warp threads 12 and 14, respectively, and are tied to the said warp threads at the points 22c, 240. During motion '2-A, the spool threads 32 and Il 'lareextended to the left, and together with spool threads 31 M33, are tied to one or the other of the warp threads 11 or 13, respectively. During motion 2B, spool threads 31, 32, and '33, 34, are simultaneously extended'to the right of one of the warp threads 11 or 13, to one 'of the warp threads "12 or 14, and are tied to the said warp threads at 22e or 240, by bobbin thread 22 or 24. During motion 3- A, spool threads 31, 32 and 33, 34 are simultaneously extended to the warp threads llor 1 3, and are tied to the said warp threads at 21 or 23f, by the bobbin threads '21'or 23. The spool threads 32 and 34 return to their associated warp threads and during motion 343, each spool thread is pillared with its associated warp and bobbin threads, thus completing the first'half-cycle'of the weaving cycle, and weaving the dots 41 and 43.

It will be observed that during the first 'half of the weavingcycle 'now'completed, no spool 'tliread'wa's extended between the warp threads and '11, or between the warp threads 12 and 13, and that the bars between these warp thread groups remainedcompletely open,'thus forming openwork betweenthe dots 41 and 43, and between otherdots, not shown but similarly situated.

Thus, during three successive full rhotions of the Nottingham lace curtain machine, four two-gait sin'gle spool thread ties 31a, 3221, 31b, and 32!), were gaited across the bar'between'the warp thre'adsll and '12, and

were tied at the points 22c, 21d, 22e, 21f, and-22g; and four two-gait single spool thread ties 3321,3411, 33b, and 341), were similarly gaited across the barfbetween the warp threads Band 14, and were tied to the said warp threads at -the points 524e, 23d, 24c, 23 and 24g.

As best shown in Fig. 3,'alternate spool thread tiesextend in the same direction. For'example, the ties 31a and 3112, both extend from warp thread 11 to warp thread '12, ,across one intervening bar, while the ties 32a and 32b both extend across the self same bar in the reversedirection fromwarp thread '12 to Warp thread 11 ('cornpare'Figs. 2 and 3). The tie 32a is fitted between the ties 31a and 31b, and the tie 31b is similarly fitted between the ties 32a and 32b, so that the "ties 32a and 31b form a double spool thread tie 32f (Fig. 3).

Thus, in three full motions of the Nottingham-lace 'curtain machinefour successive spool thread ties, each tie extending in the opposite direction from the preceding tie, 'haverbeen gaited betweenthe warp threads 11 and 12, and 13 and14,etc., to form the dots 41 and 43. Since each succeeding-tie extends'inth'e oppdsite'direction-from the preceding tie, said ties not only'interlock but also balance each other, so thatif the net isstretched, the strain upon the ties is evenly'distributedin'both directions, so that the ties are not distorted to open up the dot, and since the spool threads are pill ared to their respective warp threads immediately before the dot is started and immediately after the dot is woven, through motion l-A, between points 21a, 21b; and 22a, 22b; and through motions 3-13 and 4A, between the points 21f to 2112; and the points 22g and 22h; the dot 41 is securely tied in position betwen the warp threads 11 and 12.

In weaving the second half of the repeat pattern during the three full motions 4, 5, and 6, of the Nottingham lace curtain machine, the direction of the spool thread ties is reversed to interchange the pattern 'of the lacework to be woven across the adjacent bars, so that the dot 41 will be reproduced as dot 40 in the bar to the left, between the warp threads 10 and 11, and as dot 42 in the bar to the right, between the wrap threads 12 and 13. Thus the dots 40 and 42 are diagonally opposite the dot 41. During the second half of the weaving cycle the spool threads 31 and 32 are gaited in opposite directions across the two oppositely adjacent bars between the warp threads 10 and 11, and 12 and 13, and the dots 40 and 42 are repeats of the dot 41. In making the dot 40, the spool thread 31 gaits the second and fourth ties 31c and 31d, between the warp threads 10 and 11, and the spool thread 32 now gaits the first and third ties 32c and 32d between the warp threads 12 and 13, to make the dot 42. Between the dots 41, 43 and the dots 40, 42, there is a row of openwork extending across the lace net, which is made by pillaring all of the spool threadsto their associated warp threads during motion 4-A of the Nottingham lace curtain machine, anda similar row of openwork is left across the lace netafter the row of dots represented by the dots 40 and, have been completely formed, by pillaring all of the spool threads to their associated warp threads during motion 1-Aof the next weaving cycle of the Nottingham lace curtain machine. This pillaring motion actually commences during motion 6-B of the preceding weaving cycle, because the spool threads 31 and 33 return to their associated warp threads 11 and 13, respectively, at the end of motion 6-A, so that between motion 6-A, and motion 1-B of the succeeding cycle, there is one full, or two half, motions during which motions the spool threads pillar with the warp threads, in the same manner as they did at the end of the first half of the weaving cycle, between the end of motion 3-A, and the start of motion 4-B. I

As the Nottingham lace curtain machine completes motion 6-B, the weaving cycle is completed, and a new weaving cycle begins at motion 1A, which is followed by;mo tion 1B, and during motion l-B of this second cycle, the spool thread ties 31e and 33 2 are gaited across the bars between the warp threads 11, 12 and 13, 1 to complete the openwork figures 81 and 83. The openwork figure 82 which extends between the dots 41 and 43 is enclosed at its upper end by the dot 49 (Fig. 1). so that the dot 41, openwork figures 81 and 82, and the dot 42, in conjunction, form one complete repeat of the all-over checkered'pattern of Fig. l. I

Since there are twenty-four distinctive motions in two complete cycles of the Nottingham lace curtain machine, and only-two sets of four half rn otions each are used 1n weaving the dots there are a total of sixteen half motions in the openwork :figures 82, 81, or eight half motioris of openworkpon each side of each dot, and each r dot is tliere fore positioned midway between two openwork figures, each openwork figure extending for eight half motions, either from the end of motion 6-A to the beginning of motion 4 3 for the openwork figures and 82, or from the end of motion 3-A, to the start of motion 1-B of the following cycle for the openwork figures -81and 83. V

The dots 40, '41, 42, 43, etc., Figs. '1 and 2, arecompletely separated by'openwork figures, so that the elastic lace'n et'may bestretched in any direction, eitherwarpwise, crosswise, or diagonally 'withont h'nbalanin th e lace net or opening up the dots. The covered rubber warp threads 10, 11, etc., provide ample stretch warpwise, and the openwork figures permit crosswise stretch because they will expand by stretching the pillared sections of the warp threads which extend between the last spool thread tie of one dot, as for example tie 32b of dot 41, and the first spool thread tie of its diagonally disposed dot, as for example tie 320 of dot 42.

The dots provide ornamentation, but it should be understood that the lace net may be further ornamented by superimposing clothing upon the lace net. Experience shows that the clothing should preferably be discontinuous, or have openwork figures between the clothed objects.

Modifications of my Nottingham lace elastic net, and

of the method of weaving the same will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

1. The method of weaving Nottingham elastic lace in 21 Nottingham lace curtain machine, which consists in using covered rubber threads in the warp thereof, providing a separate inelastic bobbin thread-for each covered rubber warp thread, providing a separate spool thread for each covered rubber warp thread, advancing said warp threads with each distinctive motion of the Nottingham lace curtain machine while simultaneously pillaring each warp thread and associated bobbin thread together to fasten any simultaneously woven spool thread tie to the proper warp thread, weaving a single spool thread tie between alternate two gait spaces formed between adjacent warp threads on one distinctive motion of the Nottingham lace curtain machine, weaving a double spool thread tie between the same alternate two gait spaces as before on the succeeding distinctive motions of said Nottingham lace curtain machine, weaving a reversely formed single spool thread tie between the same alternate two gait spaces as before on the next succeeding motion of the Nottingham lace curtain machine, thereby completing one-half of the weaving cycle or repeat of the Nottingham lace curtain machine, and then reversing the throw of each of said spool thread ties in succession during the second half of the weaving cycle or repeat of the Nottingham lace curtain machine to complete the weaving cycle or repeat, and thereafter re peating the operating cycle.

2. The method of weaving Nottingham elastic lace on a Nottingham lace curtain machine, which consists in using covered elastic threads in the warp thereof, spacing said elastic warp threads apart so that the spaces therebetween constitute warp bars, providing a separate spool thread for each covered elastic warp thread, providing a separate inelastic bobbin thread for each warp thread, advancing said warp threads with each distinctive motion of the Nottingham lace curtain machine to pillar each covered elastic warp thread and its associated inelastic bobbin thread together while simultaneously fastening any spool thread ties then being gaited to the appropriate warp thread, gaiting a single spool thread tie across each alternate warp bar only on one distinctive motion of the machine, the warp bars lying between said alternate warp bars remaining ungaited during said distinctive motion, gaiting a double spool thread tie across and only across the same bars as before on succeeding motions of the said Nottingham lace curtain machine, gaiting a reversely formed single spool thread tie across each and only across each of the same bars as before on the next succeeding motion of the Nottingham lace curtain machine to complete one-half of the weaving cycle or repeat of said Nottingham lace curtain machine, the warp bars lying between said alternate bars remaining ungaited during the foregoing half of the weaving cycle or repeat of the Nottingham lace curtain machine, and then reversing the throw of each of said spool thread ties during the second-half of the weaving cycle of said Nottingham lace curtain machine, to gait a single, then a double, and then another single, spool thread tie, across each and only across each of the warp bars which were left ungaited during the firsthalf of the weaving cycle to complete the weaving cycle of the said Nottingham lace curtain machine, all of the warp bars which were gaited during the first-half of the weaving cycle remaining ungaited during the second-half of the weaving cycle, and thereafter repeating the cycle of the Nottingham lace curtain machine to fabricate a checker board patterned Nottingham elastic lace.

3. In a two-way stretch Nottingham lace net and in combination, a series of covered elastic threads constituting the warp threads of the net, said warp threads being spaced equidistant apart, the spaces between said warp threads constituting bars, a series of spool threads, a series of inelastic bobbin threads, there being a spool thread and an inelastic bobbin thread associated with each elastic covered warp thread, said covered elastic Warp threads, said spool threads, and said inelastic bobbin threads being interlaced and in conjunction forming a series of warpspaced cross rows of spaced groups of two gait spool thread ties, said ties extending across alternate bars only of the lace net, the remaining bars defining bars of openwork, each bar of openwork being but one bar wide, the relative positions of the groups of ties and of the bars of openwork in each succeeding cross row being reversed so that the groups of ties in each cross row are positioned across the openwork of the adjoining cross rows to form a series of openwork figures, any one interlaced group of ties and any one openwork figure immediately adjoining said group of ties in the same bar constituting one repeat of the pattern of the lace net, said covered elastic warp threads, said spaced groups of spool thread ties, said inelastic bobbin threads, and said openwork figures, in conjunction, forming a lace net of an all-over checkered pattern which can be stretched in any direction, each said spaced group of two gait spool thread ties forming a two gait dot, each said dot being formed by the combniation of four interlocked and interbalanced spool thread ties which are formed by gaiting one of said spool threads back and forth between the warp threads beginning on one side of the bar and by gaiting the other spool thread back and forth between the warp threads beginning on the opposite side of the bar, so that the two spool threads also form a double tie, are fastened together and to the warp threads at four different points along the bar, and are also pillared along their respective warp threads in front and in back of the formed dot to lock said ties in position thus preventing the formed dot from opening up, changing its shape, or being otherwise distorted, when the lace net is stretched.

4. The method of weaving Nottingham elastic lace in a Nottingham lace curtain machine, which consists in feeding covered elastic threads into the warp thereof, spacing said elastic threads apart crosswise so that the openings therebetween constitute warp bars, providing a separate inelastic spool thread for each covered elastic thread, providing a separate inelastic bobbin thread for each elastic thread, advancing said elastic threads warpwise with each distinctive motion of the Nottingham lace curtain machine, to pillar each elastic thread and its associated inelastic bobbin thread together while simultaneously fastening any inelastic spool thread ties then being gaited by the inelastic spool threads to the appropriate elastic thread, advancing said Nottingham lace curtain machine through a plurality of its distinctive motions in immediate succession while simultaneously gaiting a plurality of spool thread ties each one bar wide in uninterrupted succession between alternate pairs only of the elastic threads to form a first row of spaced dots each one bar wide and spaced one bar apart, extending across the warp of the lace net, the warp bars separating said alternate pairs of elastic threads remaining ungaited during the said succession of distinctive motions of the Nottingham lace curtain machine, advancing said Nottingham lace curtain machine through its next succeeding motion while simultaneously pillaring all of the spool threads to their respective, elastic threads to secure and define the formed dots and form a row of open warp bars extending across the lace, net, thereby completing one-half of a weaving cycle, then advancing said Nottingham lace curtain machine through the same number of distinctive motions in immediate succession as at the beginning of the first onehalf cycle while simultaneously reversing the throw of each of said spool threads thereby gaiting a plurality of spool thread ties each Qnebar wide in uninterrupted succession between the, pairs of elastic threads separated by the warp bars previously left ungaited to term a second row of spaced dots each one bar wide and spaced one bar apart and extending across the warp of the Nottingham lace net, the dots in the second row being woven in staggered relation with respect to the dots in the first row, advancing said Nottingham lace curtain machine through its next succeeding. motion while simultaneously pillaring all of thespool threads to their respective elastic threads to secure and define the formed dots and form another row of open warp bars extending across the lace net and thus complete the complementary-halt of the weaving cycle and one complete repeat of the pattern of the Nottingham elastic lace net, and thereafter repeating each half of the weaving cycle of the Nottingham lace curtain machine through. as many weaving cycles as desired, to fabricate a substantially checker-board-patterned, two- Way stretch Nottingham elastic lace net.

5. in a twoeway stretch Nottingham lace net and in combination, a series of elastic threads constituting the warp threads of the lace net, said warp threads being spaced apart at predetermined intervals, the spaces between said warp threads constituting bars, a series of inelastic spool threads, a series of inelastic bobbin threads,

there being a spool thread and a bobbin thread associated with each warp thread, said elastic threads, said spool threads, and said bobbin threads being interwoven and,

in conjunction forming a series of warp-spacedrcross rows of spaced two gait spool thread ties extending across alternate bars only of the lace net, the remaining bars defining bars of openwork, each bar of openwork being one bar wide, each spaced group oftwo gait spool thread ties forming a two, gait dot, the relative positions of said dots and said bars of openwork in each succeeding cross row being reversed, so that the dots in each cross row are positioned, across the bars of openwork of the adjoining cross rows, to form alace net of contrasting open and closed structure, each dot including a double spool thread tie and, a plurality of single spool thread ties which are interlocked and which are interbalanced when under tension, each spool thread being pillared to its associated warp thread above and below the formed dot to lock the corners of each of the-dotsto itsassociated warp threads, to prevent the formed dotsfrom opening up, changing shape, or being permanently distorted when under tension, said elastic net stretching warpwise, crosswise, and diagonally, whenunder appropriate tension, and resuming its normal size, shape, and appearance when tension is removed therefrom.

References Citedjnthe file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,024,573 Goodley Dec. 17, 1935 2,138,431 Stiner Nov. 29, 1933 2,188,640 Bloch et al. Jan. 30, 1940 

